Understanding the natural law
By Antonio de Pedro Marquina
Natural law is expression of love God has for his creatures, for every single one. God does not get out of them, but guarantees his constant help with this natural law written in nature as an indestructible and invaluable guide for our own salvation.
And this salvation covers all of us, without distinction as race, skin color, etc.
In the fullness of time, known only by God, He awards sin redemption through Christ his Son, and besides: the doctrine, commandments and sacraments of his church.
This is God’s law.
As we can see, despite so many vicissitudes as we may encounter on the way, God keeps being God, and men keep being men. We’ll never be gods, because is widely understood that: a bad flu, and it is finished.
People, especially youngsters, are entitled to be provided by firm and true handles.
Regarding to Natural Law it is worth mentioning, due to its clarity, part of an article published by Mr. Arturo Ramo García (Teruel) about this subject:
“It is necessary to think about ‘natural law’ and rediscover its true, common to all human beings. This law enrolled in human heart has as its basic principle “Do good and avoid evil”, from which the other particular principles shaping rights and duties of everyone emerge. One of these principles is “respect for human life” from the moment of conception until natural death. Life is a property neither of men nor of state, but a free gift from God.
Another facet of natural law is “the duty to seek the truth”, as the basis for the maturation process of human person. Facing the flood of information we receive from all kind of media, television, radio, newspapers, Internet, it is difficult to distinguish where the truth lies.
Another fundamental issue is “freedom”, which is not absolute, because has its limits laid down by the freedom of others. And we have also to mention the demand of “justice”, shown through giving each person what is his own, and “solidarity” with the needy, with their hope of help from who have been luckier. These principles originate norms that not permit any derogation, because they do not depend on the legislator’s will, on the state, nor any other human law.
However, some governments make norms in favor of particular interests and against the principles of natural law, such as abortion, divorce, euthanasia, secularist signatures. Natural law is the suitable bulwark against arbitrary power and ideological manipulation.
Natural law, enrolled in conscience of every human being who comes into this world, is like “the seal of God”. And God’s law, like “the resealing”. Both are protection and help in our pilgrimage in the world. With this support, who can doubt on the great love of God for human beings, for human beings of all times?
A portion of our society resists always these manifestations of God’s love, because it is thought that without any laws regulating and orientating their lives, people can be happy and live without any worries or responsibilities. But that is false; God having made us free, makes us also responsible in his presence.
The history of the world is limited to the history of salvations of human beings, condemned by original seen committed by our first parents, Adam and Eve. And Christ, Alfa and Omega, is the centre, who divides history into a before and an after Him.
It will be good to meditate on how we lead our lives, because in the end we are all sinners and ultimately, greedy for heaven.
The writer can be reached on: [email protected]